Titanic's final 6.3 seconds: Documentary shares what new technology reveals
Scientists have taken the most detailed 3D scan to date of the wreckage of the Titanic, revealing new evidence that could rewrite the narrative of the passenger liner's final tragic moments on April 15, 1912.
More than a century after its tragic sinking, the RMS Titanic is still revealing the details of that fateful night thanks to revolutionary underwater scanning technology, which offers unprecedented insights into the ship's final moments.
"We actually now find out from these simulations that the time it took for the Titanic to collide with the iceberg… the glancing blow… was 6.3 seconds," Simon Benson, associate lecturer in naval architecture at the University of Newcastle, told ABC's David Muir for "World News Tonight."
National Geographic's new documentary special, "Titanic: The Digital Resurrection," which premieres Friday, presents the most detailed digital reconstruction of the wreckage ever created, allowing researchers to challenge long-held theories about the disaster.
The groundbreaking project, which took nearly two years to complete, utilized cutting-edge underwater scanning technology to capture 715,000 digital images of the wreckage. These images were then transformed into a full-scale digital twin of the Titanic, accurate down to individual rivets.
Among the most significant findings, the digital model has uncovered new evidence that may finally clear the name of First Officer William Murdoch. Historical accounts have long suggested that Murdoch abandoned his post during the crisis. However, the precise positioning of a lifeboat davit in the wreckage supports Second Officer Charles Lightoller's testimony that Murdoch was actively preparing to launch a lifeboat when he was swept away by the sea.
The digital mapping of the Titanic's final resting place represents a major breakthrough in marine archaeology, experts involved in the project said.
"The level of detail we've achieved allows us to examine the wreckage as if we were walking through the ship itself," they explained.
"Titanic: The Digital Resurrection" premieres Friday at 9 p.m. ET on National Geographic, with streaming available the next day on Hulu and Disney+.
